Meet Janke

I have spent many years trying to find my ‘soul’s purpose’; pursuing my passion for health by studying a Bachelor's degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science, followed by a Bachelor of Nursing which has led to my current career as an Emergency Nurse. For many years becoming an ED nurse was my dream. I truly believed it would grant me the fulfilment I was seeking.

As a student, I was mission-focussed. I studied hard and gave it everything I had. I lived and breathed graduate program interview prep, practicing morning and night. But I still felt immense pressure and doubt about securing a new grad position, lying awake at night worrying about my future.

Time passed, as it always does, and I received three different new grad offers. I was over the moon and so grateful that all my hard work had paid off. Little did I know that the interview was not the end of my worries. Upon starting my new grad, I very quickly realised that University does not actually prepare you for what is mentally and physically required of you as a nurse.

Why is there not a unit on the difficulties of shift work, the challenges you will face without a regular sleep schedule? Why are nurses not taught what scientifically happens to our physiology when we do a night shift, and what the bloody heck we are supposed to do about it so that we are still able to function? Why is there no real-world training on time-management, dealing with grumpy colleagues, rude doctors and impatient family members? Why do educators grant people a certificate that ‘qualifies’ them as a nurse, without making sure they are prepared for the emotional and physical workload? Why is there no preparation for how to be a good nurse, actively progressing your career, while also maintaining a personal life?

These are all the things I struggled with during my first few years of nursing. I continued to witness many of my colleagues share these experiences, yet no one was talking about it, and the hospital certainly wasn’t implementing any strategies to support their staff.

We decided enough was enough. It was time to do something about it. Which is why we created Grad Fit; a supportive mentorship program for the new nurse.

Being new at something is never easy, but it doesn’t mean you have to go through it alone. We are here to support you every step of the way. Let’s change the standard and create a workplace experience that people want to be a part of.